


Breaking Out and Breaking

by blessedharlot



Category: The Great Library Series - Rachel Caine
Genre: Angst, Angst and Porn, Cunnilingus, F/M, Forced Pregnancy, Imprisonment, Sad Ending, Young Eskander, Young Keria
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-06
Updated: 2019-09-06
Packaged: 2020-11-01 23:15:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20540996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blessedharlot/pseuds/blessedharlot
Summary: Keria thinks her news may stop Eskander's next escape attempt.





	Breaking Out and Breaking

Her stomach twisted with nausea, and not just because of the hour of the day. She sat and gripped the edge of the mattress beneath her.

“I’m going to try again, Keria,” Eskander said, staring out the window. She could see his jaw and neck muscles tightening, tensing, twitching… the same way his hands fidgeted in his pockets. 

All this time, and he still looked every inch the trapped animal. 

“Try what?” she asked darkly. She was wary, and weary of his attempts to escape. Harming himself, harming others. Over and over again.

_ When would he learn? Will he do this until it kills him? _

_ Might my news change his mind? _

_ Should I care? _

Eskander shook his head. “You need not be implicated. Your reputation might be harmed.”

He couldn’t resist the barb.

“Just…” Eskander continued. “Just wait for me. Just wait to hear. If I’m successful, I might be able to get us both free.”

She didn’t bother even hoping for it.

“And if you’re not successful?” Keria asked.

“Well,” he laughed bitterly. “My talents won’t come out of this unscathed. Perhaps I’ll be useless to them.”

He shrugged, and she watched his loose dark hair shift as he moved. She remembered… she didn’t hate the feel of that black silk against her face. She wanted to hate it, but she didn’t.

“Or perhaps I’ll be killed,” he continued. “Either might be an improvement.”

“I’m pregnant,” she finally said.

That got his attention… his jaw softened with shock, his full boring gaze brought into the room and on to her. 

She saw a brand new whirlwind in his dark eyes now. Mistrust. Rage. Resignation. 

But also, slowly, a light she hadn’t seen before.

“You’re pregnant?” he whispered, a strange soft weight on his voice that she couldn’t place. “You’re carrying our child? Right now?”

She nodded.

Eskander searched her eyes, and she let him.

Her mind reeled. Maybe this was it. Maybe he’d give up his pointless fight. This is where she should strike. The proper argument right now could do it.

But as she opened her mouth, she saw the shift in his eyes.

He shook his head mournfully.

“Stop. Just don't,” he said. “Keria, our child. Our child shouldn’t be trapped here.”

Her head shook with a mirthless laugh. “Our child wouldn’t exist if not for this trap.”

Eskander took in a heavy breath.

He sat down next to her slowly, stiffly. As though it pained him to do it. As though he worried what it would do to him.

Barely contained quintessence surged up his arms -- already directed into the chained channels one would use to throw a raw ward up around them. As though he ached to separate them from the tower, from the whole world. As though he could make a safe space for them.

As though he thought he could part the Tower itself like Moses did the sea.

But nothing happened. He buried the impulse and the energy ebbed. It was an impotent gesture, like all of his escapes had been.

Eskander turned softly toward her. When she didn't turn his way, he put a hand to the nape of her neck. And when she still didn't respond, another hand on her cheek.

She slowly, stiffly moved her face closer to his.

Trembling, Eskander leaned in to kiss her. Keria let him, but slipped her arms up, folded to her chest, as he drew her tightly to him… to protect herself, she supposed. Protect her from what, she didn’t know.

His lips were feverish, and there was a fierce, sorrowful brightness in his eyes. He grabbed at her waist and clutched fitfully at it.

His lips found her neck… that same kiss that always turned to a hungry bite, that same unrelenting kiss that had made her fall in love with the damned fool. He did it again, surely knowing how it cut her through the heart.

Keria clutched at his shirt.

"Eskander. Don't do whatever it is-"

He clapped his hand to her mouth sharply. His forehead pressed to hers, he shook his head as though casting a spell over her.

There would be no words. There was too much to say.

She unbuttoned his shirt, and reached for hot, tender skin, and their lips met again beyond words.

Eskander urged her down onto her back and climbed on top, his loose dark hair falling in a curtain around her face… blocking out everything but his whole damnable self.

He kissed her lips, her chin, her neck. His mouth traveled down, as his hand grabbed the hem of her dress and traveled upward.

Before she could argue with herself, his hand and mouth had met in the middle, and his lips landed on her mound, only a thin layer of cloth in his way.

She let a bared-teeth, ragged sob rasp her throat, hands balled into fists.

Then she slid her panties out of the way.

Eskander tossed them aside and sunk between her legs. 

One long lick and she splayed open, bucking up to meet him even as he dug down urgently, rhythmically into her.

Keria lost control of her breath, lost control of her sobs, lost control of her arousal. Eskander sucked her slick and she let him, let herself have this impotent escape on his tongue, over and over and over again.

  
  


When she at last came to her senses, Keria sat up, fully expecting to chide Eskander again. To cajole, to plead, to ask him to give up his foolish plans.

But when she opened her mouth, no words came.

She turned to face him, hoping to find an argument there. But Eskander sat now with tears in his eyes. He looked at her, and worked his jaw again.

But he sat silent.

Too many things to say. Not enough words.

Keria nodded.

She stood up, slid her dress down, and put a hand to his cheek. 

Eskander held it there. Then he brought it to his lips and kissed her wrist.

Keria turned, and left his room.


End file.
